I watched the repeat of "Coast" tonight. There were no claims of Cornwall being joined by land to the the Isles of Scilly. What was said was the sea level had risen since the Bronze Age, covering evidence of settlement on the islands, and perhaps creating other islands. Being an area of high incidences of burials, there was no explanation. With 83 burial chambers, all containing cremations, with the odd exception, compared to Cornwall's 7, there was thinking that the less important dead were shipped across from the mainland for burial. The discovery of the odd settlement below the high tide level hardly explains the high number of passage graves compared to Cornwall.
They are all Bronze Age, so we're told, but look very Neolithic to me. However, Mark Horton, also occasionally of Time Team, was on the programme, and seems to think they're Bronze Age. He knows far better than me, I reckon.
Here's a quote from the programme website:-
"Isles of Scilly - The mystery of the Isles of the Dead
The Isles of Scilly have over fifty islands with crystal blue waters, super soft stand and stunning views. But to archaeologist they are known as the Isle of the Dead.
The Isles has the densest concentration of burial chambers in Britain. Over 60% of the islands are classed as archaeologically important. With 83 known burial chambers, this is a huge concentration for such a small area.
The chambers are Bronze Age ritual-burial monuments, but who were the dead and why are there so many? Were they brought over from the mainland or did they reside there? Mark Horton meets up with local archaeologist Katharine Sawyer to try and solve the mystery of the dead.
They visit burial chambers on the islands of St Mary's, Gugh and Samson which has the largest concentration of burial chambers.
The discovery of the best preserved burial chambers on these islands, Bant's Carn on St Mary's and Obadiah on Gugh help solve this mystery. At low tide the island of Samson reveals evidence of Bronze Age living. Field boundaries suggest this island was once part of one landmass but as sea levels rose the Isles of Scilly were formed."
Hope this is helpful,
TE.
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